Never Forget
by Alexannah
Summary: [no ToA spoilers!] Post-BoO. Gaia is gone, but the memories of Tartarus still exist. Percy and Annabeth are doing their best to help each other recover and settle into their new life together, but their enemies below are not keen to let them move on. Percabeth
1. A Long-Awaited Journey Home

**Rating/warnings:** T for angst, PTSD, torture (mental and physical; briefly shown, mostly aftermath), injury description

 **Ships:** Percy/Annabeth, mentions of Leo/Calypso, Jason/Piper, Frank/Hazel

 **Canon:** Post-Blood of Olympus. Planned/written before the author read Demigods and Magicians, Magnus Chase or Trials of Apollo, so probably AU.

 **AN:** This is my first Percy Jackson fanfic, which is really exciting. I have been writing fanfic since about 2005 (mainly Harry Potter) but I'm comparatively new to this particular fandom. I have other fics in the works too, though I'm trying to concentrate on this one for now.

I'm going to be writing in British English, except for dialogue (when I will keep to the characters' speech patterns), and significant parts of the PJO universe (e.g. the 'elevator' to Olympus vs 'lift').

* * *

 **Never Forget**

By Alexannah

 **Chapter One: A Long-Awaited Journey Home**

"Hi, Mom."

"PERCY!"

Hearing Sally's voice, Percy had a hard time not choking up. In fact, he failed miserably. Annabeth, standing by his side as always, squeezed his hand.

On the other end of the phone, his mother had burst into relieved sobs, and he wished he could be with her right now and hug her tightly. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Yeah, it's me." Dumb thing to say. "I'm okay. Quest's over. Uh, we won." He tried to sound upbeat, but it was difficult when he was struggling not to cry.

Sally blew her nose and seemed to pull herself together. "Oh, Percy. I've missed you so much."

"Me too, Mom. You got my messages?"

"Yes, I did." Sally still sounded like she had a bad cold. "Will you be coming home soon?"

"You bet," Percy replied. "Soon, I promise. As soon as camp's back in order. There's, um, some stuff I need to help sort out. But straight after that. How are you? How's Paul?"

"Other than worried to death about you, we've been fine."

"Good. Look Mom, I can't stay on the line much longer …"

"I understand," Sally said quickly. "Thank you for calling, Percy. Come home soon."

"I will. Promise." Percy caught Annabeth's eye. "Oh, and Annabeth says hi."

"Tell her hi back."

"I will." Percy swallowed. "Love you, Mom."

"I love you too."

* * *

It felt odd packing to go home when no-one else was. It would probably have felt even odder if he were in a full cabin, but still, as Percy folded up his clothes and gathered his possessions the rest of Camp Half-Blood were out in the sunshine, doing their activities.

Well, almost all of them.

It wasn't the end of the summer yet, but given how long he had been apart from his mother, Percy had decided he had to leave early, and Chiron had been most understanding. What was more, Annabeth was coming with him.

Well, they _had_ agreed to never be separated again. And now Gaia was gone, there should (hopefully) be no need for them to part ways. Though Percy would never say that out loud. He had no wish to tempt the Fates.

A knock on the cabin door startled him from his thoughts. He grinned to see Annabeth standing on the doorstep. "Ready to go?"

"How are you packed already?"

"It's called being organised, Seaweed Brain. You want any help?"

"No, thanks. I'm fine."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Well get a move on, because I already ordered the cab." Despite his denial, she came in properly and began helping out.

"Piper's going home early too," she said as she folded up one of Percy's t-shirts, which he had already folded up but apparently not to her satisfaction. "She wants to see her dad."

"Good for her," Percy said, but he was distracted by the realisation that, of his group of friends, only he, Annabeth and Piper still had family in the mortal world. It was a bit depressing.

Together they finished packing Percy's things in less than a minute. He took one last look around his cabin before they ventured back outside.

Chiron, Jason, Piper and Grover were gathered by Thalia's pine tree, the others having already left for Camp Jupiter or, in Nico's case, was still snoring in the infirmary. Jason and Piper were busy kissing goodbye when Percy and Annabeth reached them. Grover pulled them both into a hug.

"You'll visit before the end of summer, right?"

"'Course we will," Percy said. "Just try and stop us."

Chiron hugged Annabeth and wished them both well, and Jason and Piper stopped kissing long enough to hug their friends goodbye.

The other side of the hill, two cars sat; one, a regular taxi, the other a sleek black limo. The driver stood outside it, holding the back door open.

"I'm guessing the limo's _not_ for us," Percy said.

"Good guess," Annabeth said.

"That'll be my ride," Piper said with a sigh.

Percy whistled. "Nice ride."

"Miss McLean?" the driver/chauffer said, looking at Piper.

"Yes, that's me. I told my dad a normal cab would be fine," Piper muttered, but quickly brushed it off and climbed in. "I'd offer you guys a lift, but—"

"That's okay," Annabeth said. "See you, Piper."

"See you, Annabeth. Keep Percy out of trouble."

"Who, me?"

They all waved a last goodbye, Annabeth got in the taxi followed by Percy, and he gave the driver the address. Both cars drove away from the camp, Piper's heading for the airport, theirs to Sally and Paul's flat.

After months of being asleep and then more months of wolves and giants and Romans and warships and ancient ruins and more giants and monsters and battles and Tartarus and more monsters and battles, driving through New York City felt completely surreal, much as it had the first time Percy had left camp. He stared at everything; the city so familiar yet so strange.

"You okay?" Annabeth asked quietly.

"Just … adjusting."

She nodded in understanding, and they linked hands. Now their quest was over, their goal accomplished, life seemed to have slowed down around them. In a way, that made their ordeal harder to deal with.

Percy was so lost in his own thoughts, it was Annabeth who spoke to the driver when they neared the block. "Just up here."

The car stopped, and they paid and got out. Percy pulled his key out of his pocket, hand trembling slightly.

"Shall I do it?"

"No, I've got it."

After a couple of attempts, he managed to unlock and open the door, and they stepped inside his home.

"Mom?" he called.

There was the tinkle of breaking china in the study, and Sally Jackson appeared in the doorway. "Percy!" she gasped.

For a moment they were both simply frozen, staring at each other, before simultaneously they both broke into a run and hugged tightly.

Percy breathed in his mother's scent, his head spinning. He always missed his mother on his quests, but this time had been so much worse. He hadn't seen her in almost a _year_. And it felt like ten times that long.

"I'm here," he said stupidly into her shoulder. She let out what sounded like a cross between a sob and a laugh. "I'm home now."

"You've gotten taller," she said in reply, and it was his turn to laugh.

"I have?"

"I'm sure of it."

Silence stretched between them for a few minutes before they broke apart. Percy had just as many tears on his face as Sally did; she ignored hers and wiped his away with her thumb, staring intensely into his eyes as if trying to make up for months of not being able to look at him.

"Oh, Percy."

"Mom." He lifted his hand and pressed hers to his face.

She kissed his other cheek and then rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes. "I missed you _so_ much."

He tried to reply, but something had stuck in his throat.

A _chink_ from the kitchen sink made them both jump and turn around. Annabeth smiled sheepishly, pieces of Sally's broken coffee mug in her hands. "Sorry. Just thought I should get this off the floor."

"Annabeth, really, you don't have to do that," Sally said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"It's fine, I don't mind." Annabeth wrapped up the china shards and put them in the bin.

Sally picked up the phone. "I should call Paul, let him know you're home."

* * *

If immortals were good at _one_ thing, it was holding a grudge. Tartarus was no exception.

The sheer insult of those demigod gnats managing to reach the Doors of Death was bad enough. Add the fact that they had managed to escape completely, perfectly unscathed to boot, only made it worse. But then on top of that, they had gone on to be instrumental in destroying Gaia!

True, those _particular_ two had not been the ones who actually delivered the final blow. But they had certainly contributed. Tartarus had picked up enough from the monsters that had been sent back to him during the battle.

He had never been directly involved in human affairs before. Or, for that matter, had the desire to be. But an unfamiliar desire had overtaken him—a thirst for revenge. Revenge both for himself and for his beloved.

Tartarus had never made plans before. But he had witnessed monsters make them time and time again. In his aeons spent listening to his subjects, he had picked up a few tips for success. He had to be patient. Rushed plans inevitably led to vaporisation.

Not being able to leave his domain was the biggest obstacle. Which was why he was going to need some help …

 **TBC …**


	2. Temporarily Going in Different Direction

**Chapter Two: Temporarily Going in Different Directions**

"I got your messages," Sally said, sitting down at the table with Percy and Annabeth. "What's all this about gallivanting off to Europe?"

Percy had his mouth full of blue chocolate-chip cookie, but even if he hadn't, he wasn't sure what to say to that.

He'd sent Sally paper aeroplane messages via Coach Hedge Airways, but tried to avoid the dangerous details and stick to comments on the positive things—the scenery, funny anecdotes about his crewmates, describing New Rome and his hopes for a future there with Annabeth. He hadn't even dared tell her the reason for their quest, since he knew there was no way to glass-half-full describe going up against the earth itself. He certainly hadn't mentioned his and Annabeth's detour through Tartarus, explaining the lull in communications as having run out of paper (which was an excuse he was sure Sally would never have bought in a million years but he couldn't think of anything better).

Annabeth chose to fill the silence. "Well, the quest was to, um, recover a statue in Rome and then kill some giants in Greece. We couldn't really do that from here."

Sally's eyes narrowed slightly—she knew there was much more to it than that. "Percy? I know you don't like to worry me, but when you don't tell me things it just makes me more anxious. Please …"

Percy glanced at Annabeth. "Um …" He was saved by the sound of a key in the lock. "Paul!"

Percy's stepfather came charging in, grinned and grabbed him in a bear hug. "Percy! It's good to have you back home, son."

"It's good to be back," Percy said into his shoulder. "You've _no_ idea."

Annabeth made a small, strange noise, watching them, but when Percy looked over at her quizzically she just shook her head and smiled, tears in her eyes.

When the hug finished, and Paul was hunting for another box of tissues for them all, Percy fixed a _Talk to me_ expression on his girlfriend.

Annabeth met his eyes, looking slightly guilty. "I _did_ promise my dad I'd visit him before the end of the summer. And I really need to see him. But—"

"Go see him, then," Percy said. The words were very difficult to get out of his mouth, but since he couldn't hop on a plane, he knew it wouldn't be practical for them to go together.

"You can't fly, Percy, remember?"

"I know. It's okay. We can't stay joined at the hip every second."

Annabeth frowned; he had a feeling she knew how hard it was for him to say that, and how little he really believed it. "I won't be long," she promised. "And we're not separating, we're just—temporarily going in different directions. I promise I'll come back."

"You'd better."

Sally had watched their exchange in silence. "Are you leaving now, Annabeth?"

"Um … I guess I should." Annabeth stood up, and Percy fought the urge to pull her back down on her seat and beg her not to leave him. "Mind if I call my dad from here and let him know I'm coming?"

"Go ahead."

Percy fidgeted on his chair while Annabeth made her call, staring unseeingly at the table. He'd lost his appetite for cookies. Sally looked at him carefully.

"Percy? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Percy replied, which was probably one of the biggest lies he had ever told her. He could see she didn't believe him.

"All right," Sally said slowly. "Why don't we talk later? Do you want to unpack now? Or we could just relax, watch a movie together or something?"

Percy forced a smile. "Relaxing sounds good."

Annabeth put the phone down and picked up her bag.

"Do you want a lift?" Paul asked, hovering in the doorway with an unopened box of Kleenex.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine with a cab."

Percy jumped up and pulled Annabeth into a kiss. She clutched him close, and he realised she was just as reluctant for them to separate as he was. He wasn't sure if that made it better or worse.

"Make sure you come back to me," he mumbled.

"I will." She didn't even call him Seaweed Brain. "I promise."

* * *

Sally wished she could figure out what was wrong with her son. It wasn't as if she'd never seen Percy upset or emotionally wounded, but whatever was troubling him now, it cut very deeply. She wasn't blind; she could see how difficult it had been for him to let Annabeth leave—and now she was gone, he seemed even less like himself.

But there was no use in pushing him until he was ready to open up. She just hoped he didn't keep whatever it was bottled up for too long.

The three of them were curled up in front of a DVD, one of Percy's favourites. He'd been trying to act like his normal self, smiling and making jokes, but it wasn't heartfelt. When he thought Sally and Paul weren't watching, his face creased up, his eyes darkening. He looked old and fraught, and yet simultaneously young and fearful. Sally wished she knew how to ease his pain.

They ordered pizza, which Percy only picked at. This was the most alarming sign so far. Sally couldn't remember the last time he had lost his appetite. Had it ever happened at all?

"Would you rather eat something else, honey?" she asked desperately as he played with his second slice. He jumped and looked up.

"Nah, it's okay. I'm just not that hungry."

Paul jokingly put a hand on his forehead, and Percy pulled away, smiling faintly. "I'm fine, really. Just tired, I guess. It's been a long year." His voice sounded so melancholy it broke Sally's heart.

"You should get an early night," she said gently.

For a moment she could have sworn she saw something like alarm flash in Percy's eyes, but only for a split second, and she figured she had imagined it. "Yeah, okay," he said. "As long as you don't mean like _now_."

Sally chuckled. "No, I don't."

Despite his words, he almost dropped off to sleep before the DVD ended. Sally almost wished he had; he looked shattered. But he jumped when his eyes were half-closed and sat up properly.

"I take it back," she said. "Maybe you _should_ go to bed now."

"Mom," he groaned. "It's barely evening."

"I know, but you're obviously exhausted. It'll be good for you to get some extra sleep, get back into a normal routine. You'll feel much better for it, and if you decide to go back to school—Not that you have to decide that yet," she added quickly.

"Oh, it's decided," Percy said. "I'm going back to Goode. Annabeth's gonna come with me, too."

Paul blinked. "She is?"

"Yeah. She's already put in her application. Paul, I don't suppose you could … put in a good word, or something?"

"I … could," Paul said slowly. "But doesn't she live in San Francisco? Where is she planning to stay?"

"Oh, er … with us."

" _Us?_ "

"If that's okay," Percy said quickly. "And just to clarify, we're talking spare room here, not … uh, the other option." He turned scarlet.

"Percy …" Sally said slowly.

"I know we haven't had a chance to discuss it with you," he said. "Sorry. But—Mom, I can't spend any more time without her. And vice versa."

Meeting his eyes, she could see it was true. Whatever had happened during this quest, it had resulted in pretty strong co-dependency. He _needed_ her around.

Sally looked sideways at Paul. "I suppose we _do_ have a spare room …"

"And if it's all right with her family …"

"Okay," Sally said with a nod. "She's welcome to stay with us."

"Yes! Thanks!"

"Now off to bed," she said firmly.

"Wait, that was a condition?"

It hadn't been, but she said, "Yes. Get some sleep, Percy. See you in the morning."

"Okay, Mom. Night."

* * *

Over the next few days, things in the Jackson household tried to get back to normal. Of course, 'normal' was relative for them at any given time.

While Annabeth was gone, Percy kept himself busy to distract himself from her absence. Sally took a break from her work to spend time with him, but he couldn't stand to talk, or even think, about the quest without Annabeth right next to him. He felt much as he had the last few times they had parted; vulnerable and incomplete, like he had lost half of himself.

His parents didn't push, and they helped him focus on other things. Between the three of them, they sorted out the spare room. (The first time ever Percy had voluntarily done housework.) But that was during the day.

Ever since coming back from Tartarus, Percy hadn't slept for a single night without reliving part of it in his dreams. Annabeth had been the same. On the ship, and then later in the Poseidon cabin, the two of them had been spending their nights in each other's arms. No 'funny business', as Hedge would put it—simply the knowledge that the other was right there. The nightmares still came, but weren't as bad that way.

Without Annabeth there, Percy couldn't bring himself to try and sleep. After Sally and Paul had said goodnight, he slipped out of his window and sat on the fire escape, attempting to study in the orange glow of the nearest streetlamp. Studying was not his favourite pastime, especially in the holidays, but he'd missed so much school lately and he was determined to graduate. Besides, he couldn't think of anything else to do which wouldn't wake his parents up.

On the third night, despite the _riveting_ eleventh grade biology textbook on his lap, he couldn't keep himself awake any longer.

 _Annabeth's skin was sallow, her eye sockets dark and sunken. Her beautiful hair had dried into a skein of cobwebs. She looked like she'd been stuck in a cool, dark mausoleum for decades, slowly withering into a desiccated husk. When she turned to look at him, her features momentarily blurred into mist._

"Annabeth!" Percy woke with a gasp, bashing his head on a railing. He was so shaken he barely noticed.

His textbook had slipped from his lap. He shivered, pulling his jacket tighter around him, though in truth it wasn't really the cold he was trembling from. He couldn't get the image of Death Mist Annabeth out of his head, and he choked up, wishing she were here now so he could reassure himself she was really alive and whole.

" _Percy?_ "

He yelped in shock and looked around. Paul was standing at the window, staring at him in disbelief. "What on earth are you doing out here? It's two in the morning!"

"Um." Percy couldn't think how to reply. Paul spotted the textbook, and his eyes widened.

"Percy, get your butt in here right now."

Percy reluctantly climbed back inside his bedroom. Paul put an arm around his shoulders. "You're freezing! Why on earth were you out there?"

"I just didn't want to wake you and Mom."

"And the late-night studying session? As a teacher I appreciate the dedication, but it's really not necessary; it's a bad idea, considering how tired you are already—don't think we haven't noticed. More than that, it's definitely not _you_. So. What's up?"

Percy shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."

"Nightmares?" Paul said, expression softening.

"Mm."

"Anything I can do?"

 _Call Annabeth and ask her to come back._

"Thanks, but no," Percy said instead. "I'll be okay, Paul; I'll get through it."

His words didn't seem to reassure his stepfather. "Look, Percy, you've got to take better care of yourself. Fighting off monsters is one thing; you're great at it—but other things, not so much. Go back to bed. Even if you don't sleep, try and rest at least."

Percy knew there was no use arguing. "Okay, fine."

 **TBC …**


End file.
